4 cheers for midseason fantasy MVPs!

October 31, 2012|By Dan Richman | For RedEye

With eight weeks down in the NFL, it's time to recognize midseason MVPs at four positions. These awards are based on overall performance as well as value based on where they were drafted in your average league.

Peyton Manning, QB

The Denver quarterback has been amazing. Manning, a midround pick in most leagues, is performing like a No. 1 choice. He hasn't missed a beat since coming returning from neck surgery and a year away from football, averaging 301.9 yards a game and throwing for 17 touchdowns. Other quarterbacks may be better statistically, but none are even close to Manning based on his projected worth going into this season.

Arian Foster, RB

Houston is one of the best teams in the NFL and Foster is a big reason why. He's playing at an elite level: 10 touchdowns and 94.1 yards per game. Honorable mention goes to Washington rookie Alfred Morris (89.6 yards per game), New England's Stevan Ridley (89.5) and Cleveland rookie Trent Richardson (58.8) based on where they were drafted.

A.J. Green, WR

There is certainly no sophomore slump for this Cincinnati wide receiver. Green is the go-to guy for the Bengals with seven scores and 90.9 yards receiving per game. That's outstanding, even for a guy who was a second- or third-round pick in most leagues.

Rob Gronkowski, TE

If I were giving this award out a few weeks ago, Tony Gonzalez would have been the choice. However, Gronkowski has jumped ahead of him recently. Gronk (seven touchdowns, 72.5 yards per game) is without question living up to his pre-draft hype. The Patriots use Gronkowski as their No. 1 weapon in the red zone, and he is paying dividends for fantasy owners.

Dan Richman hosted a fantasy football show on The Score (670-AM) for years under the moniker "Super Fan Dan." Disagree with his picks? Tweet Dan @danrichmanffl.